It is usually recommended to feed them until they quit takeing it, which is usually a good indication that a flow is on and they would rather have the nectar instead of the imitation you have provided.

Sugar water is less expensive than Honey, the more syrup you feed them the less honey they will consume in order to draw out foundation(if in fact that is is why you are feeding in the first place). Therefore you will have more honey to harvest in the fall.

Ocean, you don't say if your hives are new or not. If the foundations have been completely drawn out (not likely if they're new this year) then probably no problem stopping. If you have new foundations that the bees are still working on drawing out, personally, I think you're better leaving the sugar water on for a little while. You (us as well) have had a cold spring, and I think alot of blooms are delayed. They will stop taking it when nectar is readily available.

I make my spring mixture 1:1, so I measure out, 5 cups of water, and 5 cups of sugar, 3 cups of water, 3 cups of sugar, ect.

A 1:1 sugar mixture is one quart of water to one pound of sugar. So if you buy sugar in the supermarket in those 5 lb. packages, then you need to mix it with 5 quarts of water to get a 1:1 ratio. Now 5 quarts is one quart more than a gallon, so it's more than a gallon of water to a 5 lb. bag of sugar. If you have sugar in bulk and want to mix it with a cup measure, it's about 2 cups of sugar to a pound. So, to re-cap, 2 cups of sugar to one quart of water for a 1:1 ratio. 5 quarts of water to 5 lbs. of sugar for a 1:1 ratio. In the end, the girls will take whatever you give them and use it happily! :D

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I think the mix up comes in when you throw in the other ratios. 2:1, 1:1, 1:2.They all have different reasons for using them. But then people get to thinking the 2 pints is two quarts and turn it into the "1" so now 1:1 means one quart.

Then others think you do both by wieght. Or you do both by volume. Then somewhere along the way someone gets the mixed up info and they tell their friend, who tell their friends, and soon it is blown all out of proportion.

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I think the mix up comes in when you throw in the other ratios. 2:1, 1:1, 1:2.They all have different reasons for using them. But then people get to thinking the 2 pints is two quarts and turn it into the "1" so now 1:1 means one quart.

BAHAHAHAHA!!! I have done this Jerry , the way I could tell is when I was finished and put it in a jar it looked clear, 1:1 looks kind of yellow and thicker. I sometimes forget about when I have a 25# bag of sugar and like Jay said its 2 cups per pound of sugar, I get mixed up counting when making a few gallons in 1 big pot.

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Since a pint of sugar weighs close to a pound and a pint of water weighs almost exactly a pound, and especially since the bees could care less if it's perfect, by weight or by volome is irelevant. Take your pick. A pint of water to a pound of sugar. A pound of water to a pound of sugar. A pint of sugar to a pound of water. It's all 1:1 and it's all the same thing for all practical purposes. Don't worry about it. Do wichever is more convenient for you.